


White Wine in the Sun

by LiliannaBelle (Tam)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-03
Updated: 2014-04-15
Packaged: 2017-12-22 06:10:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/909840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tam/pseuds/LiliannaBelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-Lacey, Rumple and Belle are back to dating, and living together, because they can’t bear to be apart, although not consummated (but definitely heading that way) as he is letting her guide the pace in the bedroom—and (in my headcanon) while she was Lacey he kept her from losing her virginity while she was not her true self by keeping her all to himself.</p><p>This follows a a scene when Belle talks to women in the town, maybe Ruby or Mary Margaret, trying to understand this new world where women can sleep with men before they are married to them—because my understanding of Belle is that she is the same maiden from FTL, her heart belonging only to Rumple.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"What are you thinking about, love?"

Belle looked up into Rumple’s gentle eyes and realized he had been watching her the whole time. She blushed, remembering her conversation with Mary Margaret earlier that afternoon. She had been watching her with Charming as they sat at the counter, noting as she ran her foot up his leg. They would leave soon, she guessed. After their meal, David would probably take Mary Margaret home and to their bed, and that was what had her so engrossed in the couple, but there was no way she could tell Rumple that—or the myriad confusing emotions such an idea wrought in her as she lost herself in his eyes…oh his eyes…gazing at her in adoration and crinkling at the corners with kindness. He treated her like spun glass, and she loved him for it.

No, Belle couldn’t fathom putting her confusion into words with Rumple, how much she wanted him, how she had no idea how to go about suggesting they do more than kiss and snuggle when he was so clearly concerned about rushing her or scaring her—especially since the Lacey persona had fallen away from her as if it had never been there—her memories were mercifully hazy, like an insubstantial façade, a wisp in the wind. That was how Belle preferred to think of it anyway. Any time something more jarring came back to her, flashes that leaked through and caused her to freeze up or tremble and have to fight to block it out. 

She was back to herself. She shuddered, remembering some of the things she had done as Lacey and buried her memories of Lacey’s exploits back under the fog. Ruby said she should probably talk about it with someone, but her only someone was Rumple, and he never mentioned it. For all she knew he was trying to repress Lacey too. Perhaps because…Lacey had repelled him? Her stomach rolled.

Rumpelstiltskin reached across the table and caught her hand in his. 

“Belle?” The worry in his voice was even more evident now.

She couldn’t tell him she envied how free the women were here, but neither could she lie to him, so she just shrugged.

Mary Margaret’s laughter lilted across the diner, along with the tinkle of her wine glass as it clinked against her plate.

Rumplestiltskin followed her gaze to study Mary Margaret and Charming for a moment. Mary Margaret raised the glass to her lips again, although she was already past buzzed, if the glaze in her eyes was anything to go by, and how the normally reserved young woman ran her hand across Charming’s thigh.

He turned back toward Belle, concerned by her silence, and the flush still high on her cheeks.

"Is it the wine, sweetheart?"

"What?"

"Mary Margaret’s wine. You haven’t touched the stuff since…before."

"When I was Lacey, you mean?" She looked down and fiddled with her napkin in her lap, but her other hand tightened on his where he had tangled their fingers together. He was close to getting her to open up.

"Would you like some?"

Belle opened her mouth but Rumple had already beckoned to Granny, whose eyebrows raised when he asked for a bottle of their finest white wine, but she didn’t so much as tsk. If anything, she had softened toward him of late, now that he had Belle to keep him centered.

Belle. Rumplestiltskin was worried that he might have upset her somehow. Since getting her back, Belle was his whole world. He watched her eyes as they followed his motions as he poured the wine for her. As before, with Lacey, he never spilled a drop.

"If you want," he said quietly, pushing the glass toward her. 

"I’m not her," Belle whispered. 

"I know." A shadow flickered in his expression and he closed his hand possessively over hers. Belle loved how protective he was of her—that did fit her understanding of courting and wooing. He was her perfect gentleman.

Nonetheless, she reached for the glass. Maybe this would loosen her up, help her to ask least talk with Rumple about what she was feeling? Or maybe—she spared another glance to where Mary Margaret was now practically devouring Charming in a searing kiss—maybe the wine would help her express her feelings with more than just words.


	2. Chapter 2

Belle paused in the booth, her hand curving around Rumple’s arm, stopping him before he could order her more drinks. “It just feels weird, I mean, this is _Granny's_...and everyone knows us."

Rumple looked at her intently for a few moments before giving her a soft nod.

With a snap of his fingers and a flourish of his hand, the ground moved underneath them. Belle clutched tighter onto his arm. All around them reddish-purple smoke cleared revealing a pier at sunset. Seabirds circled overhead and Belle’s inhaled the salt air of the seaside.

In moments they were lost in the anonymity of a loud crowd, then her feet were moving, following Rumple’s unerring steps until he seated her carefully in an intimate nook inside some kind of high-class restaurant. There was a buzz of people all around them—strangers every one, and to her surprise, Belle was comforted by their presence rather than unsettled. Everyone was relaxed. And well on their way to being in their cups, she realized. She could drink here and not feel like she would stick out—and after all, wasn’t that the point?

She looked up into his hopeful eyes and returned his uncertain smile.

“Perfect,” she whispered.

 

Belle didn’t know how many hours had passed, but it made more sense to her pleasantly thrumming mind to count the passage of time in the number of half-empty cocktail glasses lined up in front of her. She slumped back in her seat, feeling more relaxed than since she could ever remember, and nestled closer to the man at her side.

She looked up to catch his smile. “Try this one, darling. If you like.”

Rumple had ordered her a huge variety of spirits, indulging her when she didn’t like Lacey's wine by ordering her something lighter, something called ice wine, which was so sweet it made her nose twitch.

Normally, all this waste would make her uncomfortable. Growing up her no-nonsense nanny had instilled in her a strong sense of waste not want not. She giggled, self-conscious under Rumple’s gaze. His eyes…the way he was looking at her made her all warm inside. 

She felt her cheeks grow hot to see his mouth open slightly as she playfully licked the sugar from the rim of the glass he had handed her.

Rumple noticed her notice him, and to her surprise, he didn't demure...he just raised his eyebrows slightly and despite her nerves, Belle found herself taking an even longer lick of the sweet crystals, then a long draught of the rum, giggling more.

What was she doing?! He was going to think she was much more sophisticated and confident than she was. She caught herself – this was Rumple – he knew her, knew her from the day he had taken her from her family.

"Hey," his soft voice broke into her musings. She looked up into his deep brown eyes, reflecting the warm lights of the lanterns. If she expected to see teasing there, it wasn't. He was watching her closely. "Are you all right, Belle?"

She took a deep breath. “I want to go to bed.”

“Oh. You are tired. Of course, forgive me, I shouldn’t have kept you out so late—”  
He stumbled to his feet as he spoke, tumbling bills onto the table to cover their meal, and the many many drinks.

“No…I…Rumple—”

“Belle?” The worry lines around his beautiful eyes grew deeper. Belle caught his arm as he helped her stand. Before she could lose her nerve, she pulled him down until she could whisper in his ear.

“I’m not tired.”

He blinked.

“I want to be alone with you.”

“Belle…you mean…in bed?”

She nodded, smiling nervously.

“With me?” His voice was growing fainter, his pupils larger as he stared at her. Then he caught himself, drawing himself up, and moving his arm around her shoulder. She followed his gaze as he glanced back at the empty glasses on their table.

“Belle, sweetheart—”

His protests where cut off by her unsteady finger pressing against his lips. 

Oh—his lips—they were so soft. Her hand found it’s way into his incredibly soft hair at the nape of his neck and drew him down until she could capture those lips for her own.

Belle moaned, too far gone to feel the embarrassment she knew dimly she would normally feel. His lips moved on hers and it was just…perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> My first RumBelle story that has seen the light of day! Thank you SO much for reading, I hope I can add more to this one. Concrit always very much appreciated!


End file.
